Button sewing attachment



May 7, 1968 l. POPE BUTTON SEWING ATTACHMENT 4 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Oct. 22 1965 r i 'Ol f-g n i [NWA/ Isaac Fa@ i BY im f. W A,

ATTORNEY May 7, 1968 l. POPE 3,381,638

BUTTON SEWING ATTACHMENT Filed Oct. 22 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l NVENTOR w [3m 190,06 N

ATTORNEY May 7, 1968 l. POPE BUTTON SEWING ATTACHMENT 4 Sheets-Sheetv 3 l Filed Oct. 22 1965 INVENTOR. [Jaaa fa/e BY K/h/Q f ATTORNEY May 7, 1968 l. POPE 3,381,638

BUTTON SEWING ATTACHMENT Filed oct. 22 1965 4 sheets-sheet 4 BY Kauf. 5pm@ ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,381,638 BUTTON SEWING ATTACHMENT saac Pope, Philadelphia, Pa., assigner to Frank Saxon, Jr., Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 500,680 14 Claims. (Cl. i12- 114) ABSTRACT GF THE DISCLSURE A button sewing attachment including a button holder which is rotatable between a horizontal position and a vertical position. The button holder is attached to a carrier which is horizontally reciprocable between a forward position corresponding to the horizontal position of the button holder and a rearward position corresponding to the vertical position of the button holder. The said button sewing attachment also including solenoid means responsive to the reciprocable action of the carriage to change the stitch pattern of the button sewing machine.

This invention relates in general to the machine sewing art, and more particularly is directed to a novel button sewing attachment suitable for use with sewing machines that are presently employed for button sewing and other purposes.

At the present time when manufacturing most garments, buttons of Various sizes must be aixed. In accordance with the usual practice, a single machine is employed to sew buttons of the same size. Production techniques require that all garments having a given size button be routed to the same machine inasmuch as this machine has been set up to expeditiously perform the necessary sewing operations. It can be appreciated that many garments, for example, mens and womens suit coats and overcoats, are fabricated using buttons of different diameters, such as cuff buttons and front buttons. In such instances, it is now common practice to utilize two machines for this purpose, each machine being set up to aflix buttons of the same size. `Such an operation results in increased handling time Within the plant inasmuch as the garments must be transported from station to station in order to perform essentially the same operation, albeit different diameter buttons may be involved.

It is now the usual practice to aliix 24 ligne buttons to the garment sleeve by positioning the button close to the fabric and then sewing it tight to the material. The front buttons are usually 30 ligne and are spaced from oneeighth inch to three-eights inches from the material prior to sewing. When the sewing operation is completed, it is now necessary to place the garment in still another machine wherein a wrapping operation is performed to space the button from the material in a post. The wrapping operation may be hand performed or machine performed in accordance with usual practice and is desirable to facilitate buttoning and unbuttoning the garment when it is worn. It is thus seen that even a relatively uncomplicated garment now requires the use of no less than three machines to complete the button sewing operations. This of course requires the initial capital outlay in purchasing the three machines and the further expense of setting up the three pieces of equipment prior to starting a production run. Inasmuch as a large percentage of the cost of clothes is comprised of the labor expense in fabrication itself, any procedure that increases handling operations must result in increased iinal costs. The present practice thus increases costs as a direct result of the inefficiencies attributable to added handling procedures in moving gar- 3,381,638 Patented May 7, 1968 ICC ments from station to station in order to accomplish essentially the same button sewing operations.

The instant invention seeks to eleminate the existing problems and the attendant higher production expenses by providing a swivel button clamp that serves the dual purpose of holding a 24 ligne button close to the sleeve of the garment and also to provide associated means to space 30 ligne buttons a predetermined distance from the garment during the button sewing operations. The attachment has been especially designed as a supplement on existing commercially available sewing equipment and may be considered as auxiliary equipment therefor.

The instant attachment is completely compatible for use with presently used sewing machines, and with relatively minor adjustments, may be bolted in place for utilization and operation with existing equipment.

The attachment may be considered as a combination button clamp arm with a swivel button clamp for liat four-hole and two-hole buttons of 2.4 and 30 ligne. When the sewing is completed, the button clamp arm turns through ninety degrees upwardly to permit performance of the button wrapping operation. Means have been incorporated to automatically adjust the needle bar from the sewing position to the wrapping position in response to the operation of the button clamp.

It is thus seen that through the utilization of the instant button sewing attachment, a single machine can now be utilized to perform all of the button sewing operations. One operator, Working at one location may now sew all of the required buttons and thus completely eliminate all unnecessary additional handling expenses occasioned by the former practice of transferring work from location to location.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved button sewing attachment of the type set forth.

It is another object of this invention to provide a button sewing attachment incorporating a novel button clamp to hold buttons of dilerent sizes.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel button sewing attachment incorporating a button clamp that operatively controls the needle bar positions.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel button sewing attachment incorporating a swivel button clamp that may space a button from the work or hold a button tight to the work in accordance with design requirements.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel button sewing attachment that is inexpensive in manufacture, rugged in construction and trouble-free in operation.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention will be had by referring to the following description and claims of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. l is a partial front perspective view of the button sewing clamp.

FIG. 2 is side perspective view of the button sewing attachment with the machine cover removed.

FIG. 3 is a right side elevational view of the button sewing clamp.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the button sewing clamp partially broken away to expose the switch contacts.

FIG. 5 is a left side elevational View of the button sewing clamp.

FIG. 6 is a side perspective view of the operating solenoids with the cover removed to expose the' functioning parts.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a button positioned in the button clamp for direct sewing to a garment.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a button positioned in the button clamp for spaced sewing to a garment.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a button positioned in the button clamp at ninety degrees for the wrapping operation.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the carrier operating mechanism.

FIG. 1l is an enlarged detail view of the button clamp.

Although specific terms are used in the following description for the sake of clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the particular structure of my invention selected for illustration in the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

The invention comprises a button holding arm, generally designated A, and an electrically interconnected solenoid assembly, generally designated B, operatively associated therewith. The button holding arm and solenoid assembly have both been designed for ready installation with presently available button sewing machines, particularly machines similar to Singer Sewing Machine Company model number 175. It is a feature of the instant invention that the novel button sewing machine attachment herein disclosed will be entirely compatible for use with existing button sewing machines with a minimum of modications or adjustments required.

Referring now to FIGS. l and 3, I show a flat, steel,

button clamp arm 10 that may be removably secured to the sewing machine base 12 by bolts 14, 16 inserted through adjusting slots 18, 20, and turned into threaded openings provided in the top of a mounting bracket 24. The angular mounting bracket 24 secures to the base 12 by bolts acting through the bracket bolt holes 26, 28 and base bolt holes 30, 32 respectively to provide a convenient attachment to receive the button clamp arm 10.

A longitudinal ange 22 depends from one edge of the button clamp arm 10 to carry the operating mechanism hereinafter more fully described. As best seen in FIG. 10, a button clamp carrier 34 horizontally slides within an angular support 36 which is carried by the ange 22 and may be secured thereto by bolts 38, 40. The carrier slides between a forward station when the button clamp 42 is horizontally positioned and a rearward station when the button clamp 42 is pivoted through ninety degrees to a vertical position.

The carrier 34 forwardly supports the button clamp 42 which is pivotally operated through ninety degrees by the operating lever 44 acting about the pivot pin l46. A stop 48 projects from the carrier 34 to conveniently limit the rotative motion of the operating handle 44 during the high speed operation occasioned by production activity. An operating lug 50 horizontally projects from the carrier 34 intermediate its ends and horizontally slides within the opening 52 for operation with the link 54 which pivots about the support 36 through its bottom pivot pin 56.

A shaft 58 carries an elongated compression spring 60 and is pivotally connected at one end thereof through an arm 66 to the operating lever 44 which acts as a bell crank to urge the shaft rearwardly when the crank is rotated to vertically position the button clamp 42. The second end of the shaft 58 inserts through an opening 62 provided in the arm 64 and is freely slidable therein. The spring 60 biases between the arms 64, 66 and may be adjustably tensioned by turning the adjusting nut 68 upon the threaded end of the shaft 58. The nut 68 further functions to stop the shaft from pulling free from the arm 64 when the button clamp 42 is urged to its horizontal position. The top end of the link 54 pivotally engages the arm 64 through the pivot pin 70 and slidingly engages the lug 50 within the slot 72 which is longitudinally disposed therein.

It is thus seen that when the lever 44 is pivoted about the pin 46 to rotate the button clamp 42 to its vertical position, the lever extension 74 acts as a bell crank and urges the shaft 58 rearwardly so that the spring 60 biases the arm 64 rearwardly. The arm 64 thereby pulls the top of link 54 rearwardly about its bottom connected pivot pin 56 and thus urges the carrier 34 rearwardly by forces acting upon its slot engaged lug 50. An adjustable stop 76 secured to the machine base plate 12 limits the rearward motion of the carrier 34 from one-eighth inch to threeeighth inch as may be required depending upon the thickness of the material being processed and the height of the post desired.

As seen in FIGS. 4, 6, the carrier 34 inwardly carries Contact 78 which is arranged to alternately engage the spaced switch contacts 80, 82. The forwardly disposed contact 80 operatively energizes the forward solenoid 84 and the rearwardly disposed contact 82 operatively energizes the rearward solenoid 86 upon completion of an electrical circuit in any well-known manner alternately upon engagement with the carrier contact 78. I have thus provided a simple method of completing an electrical circuit to energize a iirst solenoid 84 when the carrier is in its forward position and a method to complete an electrical circuit to energize a solenoid 86 when the carrier is urged to its rearward position.

It should be noted that only la single solenoid is energized at a time, and the spacing between the contacts 80, 82 automatically assures that one solenoid is deenergized prior to the energizing of the other.

The solenoids 84, 86 rearwardly mount upon the upright portion of the :machine arm S8 by means of a bracket 90 which may be bolted or otherwise secured in position. The solenoids reciprocate la shaft 92 between a rst position and a second position `to correspond to the forward and rearward positions of the carrier 34. It is thus seen that when the button clamp 42 is horizontally disposed, the carrier 34 is pulled forwardly and the contact 78 engages the contact 80 to energize the forward solenoid 84, to ide-energize the rearward solenoid 86 'and the shaft 92 is thus urged forwardly. Similarly, when the button clamp 42 is vertically positioned, the carrier 34 is pushed rearwardly and the lcontact 78 engages the contact S2 to energize the rearward solenoid 86, to de-energize the forward solenoid 84 and the shaft 92 is thus urged rearwardly.

As best observed in FIG. 2, the shaft 92 enters the machine arm 88 through a small opening 94 and is provided with end block 95 suitable to cooperate with the machine needle bar ca-m 99 through connecting means 96. The connecting means 96 comprise an L-shaped bracket which may be welded 4or otherwise aixed to the top of the needle bar cam follower 99a. A spring 98 tensions the block 95 to prevent rattling and thereby assures smooth operation. In the case of the Singer Sewing Machine Company Model 175 machine, for example, Patent Nos. 1,983,555 and 2,200,929, the overall effective length of the shaft 92 is `adjusted to actuate the connecting means 96 which in turn is vibrated by cam 99 to vibrate the needle bar for different types of sewing stitches. As will be observed, the solenoid 84 operates when the button clamp 42 is horizontal and positions the needle bar cam for button sewing at the 7/54 inch space. The solenoid 86 operates when the button clamp 42 is vertical and positions the needle bar cam for wrapping at the %.2 inch space.

Referring now toFIGS. 7, 8, 9 and l1, the construction -and operation of the button clamp 42 may be more fully observed. As hereinbefore set forth, the button clamp 42 is rotative through an angle of ninety degrees in response to operation of the handle 44 to hold a button 100 parallel with the surface of the fabric 102 for straight four hole and two hole sewing and then to swing the button and the attached fabric vertically `for the wrapping operation. The button clamp comprises a fixed jaw 104 affixed to a rearward web 106 and a movable jaw 108 carried by the web 106 and pivotally secured thereto about a pin 110. A spring 112 continuously biases the jaws together for button clamping purposes.

The button clamp 42 is arranged in two tiers and is designed to concentrically position buttons of different sizes beneath the needle 118 for the button sewing operations. The lower tier 114 is sized to hold smaller buttons, such as twenty-four ligne for cuifs and the upper tier 116 is sized to hold larger buttons such as thirty ligne for coat fronts. As will be seen in FIG. 7, the button clamp holds the smaller button near the fabric 102 during the sewing operation. Upon completion of the sewing stitches, the button 100 is tight to the material. Asseen in FIG. 8, the button clamp 42 holds the larger button in the upper tier 116 and spaced from the fabric a distance of approximately 1A; inch to inch. When the sewing is completed the button clamp 42 is turned ninety degrees upwardly as illustrated in FIG. 9 and moves 1A; inch to 3/s inches from the operator to hold the button vertically for the wrapping operation. When the wrapping operation is completed, the button 1001 is spaced 1A: inch to 1%; inch from the fabric 102 in a post.

In order to use my invention, the button holding arm A must first be secured to the sewing machine baseplate 12 utilizing mounting bracket 24 and bolts 14, 16. The solenoid assembly B can then be secured to the machine arm 88 utilizing the bracket 90 and the shaft linkage 95 is interconnected with the needlebar cam 96. The electrical circuit between the carrier operated contact 78 and the solenoid switches 80, 82 should next be completed -and the carrier stop 76 positioned to produce a post of the desired height.

When sewing cuff buttons tight to the material, the button should be placed in the lower tier 114 with the holes positioned in the usual manner to receive the needle 118. The button clamp will be horizontally positioned, thus pulling the carrier 34 forwardly causing the contact 78 to energize the solenoid 84 through its switch 80. The solenoid 84 urges the shaft 92 forwardly thereby causing the needle bar cam to operate at the 74,4 inch space for button sewing stitches.

When sewing front buttons spaced from the material, the button 100 is placed in the upper tier 116 with .the holes positioned in the usual manner to receive the needle 118 during the sewing operation. The button clamp will be horizontally positioned and there the solenoid operation above set forth will occur. Upon completion of the button sewing operation, the button clamp 42 is turned through ninety degrees for the wrapping operation by flipping the operating handle 44 upwardly. This pushes the carrier 34 rearwardly causing the contact 78 to energize the solenoid 86 through its switch 82. The solenoid '86 pulls the shaft 92 rearwardly thereby causing the needle bar cam to operate at the %2 inch space for wrapping stitches.

Although I have described my invention with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood .that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a button sewing machine of the type incorporating a cam operated needle bar, the combination of (A) button holding means;

(B) means rotating said holding means;

(C) slidable carrier means supporting the said button holding means,

(1) said carrier means having a forward position corresponding to the said horizontal position of the button holding means,

(2) said carrier means having a rearward position corresponding to the said vertical position of the button holding means, and having means thereon pulling the said button holding means rearwardly when in the vertical position;

(D) a first electrical contact carried by said carrier means, solenoid means, second and third electrical contacts connected to the said solenoid means with second and third contacts coacting with said first mentioned contact on said carrier means;

(E) and shaft means controlled by the said solenoid means, adapted to be operatively associated with the needle bar cam of the said sewing machine, and said shaft means having a forward position corresponding to the horizontal `,position of the button holding means and a rearward position corresponding to the vertical position of the said button holding means, which positions are controlled by the activation of said solenoid means by said carrier means.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein .the said button holding means include a fixed arm, a connecting web, said xed arm being rigidly joined to the said connecting web, and a movable arm pivotally joined to the said web.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said button holding means include means for holding buttons of different diameters.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said button holding means include means for concentrically holding buttons of different diameters.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said button holding means include means to hold small buttons close to a fabric during the sewing operation and means to space large buttons from a fabric during th sewing operation.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said carrier means include a bell crank operatively associ-ated with the said button holding means, said bell crank pulling the carrier means forwardly when the button holding means are horizontal and said bell crank pushing the carrier means rearwardly when the button holding means are rotated to the vertical position.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said solenoid means include a pair of solenoid circuits each having a forward and a rearward position and including two contacts, one of the last mentioned contacts operating the forward portion of the said solenoid means when the said carrier means are forwardly positioned and .the other contact operating the rearward portion of the said solenoid means when the said carrier means are rearwardly positioned.

8. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said solenoid means mount exteriorly of the said sewing machine and include a forward solenoid and a rearward solenoid, the said forward solenoid being energized when the said carrier means 'are forwardly positioned and the said rearward solenoid being energized when .the said carrier means are rearwardly positioned.

9. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said shaft means are adjusted to vary said needle bar position to produce button sewing stitches when the button holding means are horizontal and to vary the said needle bar position to produce button wrapping stitches when the button holding means is vertical.

10. In a button holding clamp, the combination of a rearwardly disposed connecting web; a stationary jaw aixed to one side of the said web; a movable jaw pivotally connected to the other side of the said web; means to hold buttons of different sizes; means to concentrically position buttons of .different sizes and means to rotate the said button holding clamp upwardly through ninety degrees.

11. The invention of claim 10 and means to horizontally move the said button holding clamp when it is rotated through ninety degrees.

12. The invention of claim 10 wherein the means to hold buttons of different sizes include vertical tiers of different widths, said tiers being vertically spaced .to receive buttons of different sizes, and wherein the tiers are arranged from bottom to top in the order of increasing width.

13. The invention of claim 10 wherein a spring con- '8 stantly biases the free end ofthe said movable jaw toward References Cited the said stationary arm. UN D ATE PA NTS 14. The invention of claim 10 wherein the said means 9 HB6 ST S Y 2 v to concentrically position buttons of different sizes in- 2736550 3/195' Patterson et al' "1" 11 1,10 clude a plurality of verticallyy spaced tiers, said `tiers being 5 3124 618 4/1966- Johnson et al `r ,u2-110 arranged in the order of increasing width, the side walls of each said tier being positioned equidistant from the JORDAN FRANKLIN P' mary Examme' centerline of the said clamp. G. V. LARKIN, Examiner. 

